Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)

I refer the Taoiseach to the current rather unedifying spat between the chief executive officer of the Courts Service and a member of the Judiciary, which does little in terms of exuding confidence in the system. These matters would not necessarily have to be aired in public if progress was made on the enactment of the judicial council Bill, as referred to by the previous Deputy.

I refer the Taoiseach particularly to the publication by the Minister of State, Deputy Tom Kitt, of the legislative programme in the autumn, which indicated specifically that publication of this Bill, No. 69 on that list, was expected in 2008, but the later edition of that document published for this session states that it is not possible to indicate a date for the publication of the Bill, No. 80 on the current list, at this stage. That is a message for Deputies that rather than the Bill nearing publication it is heading for relegation, off the radar entirely. The lack of regulation in this area has given rise to the types of difficulties that have arisen. Will the Taoiseach report progress on this issue so that the legislation can be introduced at an early date?

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